Patents by Inventor Kris B. Stokes

Kris B. Stokes has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10698815
    Abstract: To provide enhanced operation of data storage devices and systems, various systems, apparatuses, methods, and software are provided herein. In a first example, a data storage device accumulates write data into a cache storage region prior to committing into an archive storage region and maintains a data structure that tracks the write data in the cache storage region. Responsive to receiving first write data into the cache storage region, the data storage device establishes first tracking elements in the data structure for the first write data in the cache storage region. Responsive to receiving second write data directed to storage locations overlapping the first write data, the data storage device accepts the second write data into the cache storage region and establishes second tracking elements in the data structure for the second write data in the cache storage region without modifying the first tracking elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Randall L. Hess, Berck E. Nash, James M. Reiser, Randy L. Roberson, Kris B. Stokes, Jesse L. Yandell
  • Patent number: 10001932
    Abstract: A data storage array is presented that includes a plurality of storage drives each comprising storage media with a first storage region and a shingled magnetic recording (SMR) storage region. The data storage array includes a control system communicatively coupled to the storage drives and configured to receive a write operation over a host interface for storage of write data by the data storage array. Responsive to the write operation, the control system is configured to cache the write data in first storage regions of two or more of the storage drives prior to transfer of the write data into at least an SMR storage region of a storage drive associated with the write operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Randall L. Hess, Berck E. Nash, James M. Reiser, Randy L. Roberson, Kris B. Stokes, Jesse L. Yandell
  • Publication number: 20170003894
    Abstract: To provide enhanced operation of data storage devices and systems, various systems, apparatuses, methods, and software are provided herein. In a first example, a data storage device accumulates write data into a cache storage region prior to committing into an archive storage region and maintains a data structure that tracks the write data in the cache storage region. Responsive to receiving first write data into the cache storage region, the data storage device establishes first tracking elements in the data structure for the first write data in the cache storage region. Responsive to receiving second write data directed to storage locations overlapping the first write data, the data storage device accepts the second write data into the cache storage region and establishes second tracking elements in the data structure for the second write data in the cache storage region without modifying the first tracking elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Randall L. Hess, Berck E. Nash, James M. Reiser, Randy L. Roberson, Kris B. Stokes, Jesse L. Yandell
  • Publication number: 20160364157
    Abstract: A data storage array is presented that includes a plurality of storage drives each comprising storage media with a first storage region and a shingled magnetic recording (SMR) storage region. The data storage array includes a control system communicatively coupled to the storage drives and configured to receive a write operation over a host interface for storage of write data by the data storage array. Responsive to the write operation, the control system is configured to cache the write data in first storage regions of two or more of the storage drives prior to transfer of the write data into at least an SMR storage region of a storage drive associated with the write operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Inventors: Randall L. Hess, Berck E. Nash, James M. Reiser, Randy L. Roberson, Kris B. Stokes, Jesse L. Yandell
  • Patent number: 9269376
    Abstract: To provide enhanced operation of data storage devices and systems, various systems, apparatuses, methods, and software are provided herein. In a first example, a data storage device is presented with storage media comprising a cache storage region and a shingled magnetic recording (SMR) storage region that is divided into burst zones. A storage control system receives write operations and accumulates write data in the cache storage region until a commit threshold condition. Responsively, the storage control system transfers the write data into a burst zone of the SMR storage region, and verifies the write data written into the burst zone once the burst transfer is complete. Responsive to data verify errors in the write data written into the burst zone, the storage control system writes data associated with the data verify errors into an exception location associated with the burst zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Randall L. Hess, Berck E. Nash, James M. Reiser, Randy L. Roberson, Kris B. Stokes, Jesse L. Yandell